Presents, etc.

Well, tonight I finished construction on the Empire State Building. "Santa Mom" left me a 3D puzzle on Christmas morning. It was quite a lot of fun to put together, though a bit frustrating towards the end. There didn't seem any way to get all the pieces fitted together without messing up other pieces when it came time to make it into an actual building. I think I see a way to do it (now that I know which flat segments go where), but I don't feel like disassembling it and starting from scratch right at the moment. It ocurred to me while I was working on it that it would be interesting to document the process with photographs (piles of pieces; sorted piles; wall sections assembled; etc.), but then I would think, "Blue. 3 window center," and forget about it.

My mom did not get as carried away as usual with gifts this year, but still got me too much. On the bright side, I liked all my presents this year, and I can't always say that. She got me a Peña dragon, in black (a color I didn't have) but in a style I had two of already. She also got me an office chair I've been wanting. It's called a kneeling chair and has no back. Finally, she got me the book Chronicles of Narnia, which she really should have realized I already had, but I talked her into exchanging it for the newest Harry Potter book, which I am now reading. This should have been plenty, honestly, but "just in case" she gave me some money to "buy something you really want." Well, my winter boots are starting to have a spiritual crisis (i.e. their soles are cracking), so I replaced them with nicer boots than I've ever gotten: leather, sheepskin lining, rubber soles. They are exceedingly warm and comfortable. I think my mom wanted me to buy DVD's or something with the money, but boots were more important.

Incidentally, and completely off-topic, going to Wal-Mart isn't so bad in the middle of a wind/hail/rainstorm. For some strange reason, this keeps most people away.